Rolling pin switch



8 3, 1967 F. w. ORENDORFF 3,335,271

ROLLING PIN SWITCH Filed July 14, 1965 2 Sheets Sheet 1 Aug. 8, 1967 F. w. ORENDORFF ROLLING PIN SWITCH 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed July 14. 1965 United States Patent 3,335,271 ROLLING PIN SWITCH Francis W. Orendorff, 9630 C St., Tacoma, Wash. 98445 Filed July 14, 1965, Ser. No. 471,857 3 Claims. (Cl. 246428) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A reservoir containing a chemical of antifreeze liquid in a reservoir mounted along a rolling pin railway switch element, and means for shifting a slide bar transversely of the track to open the switch, a cylindrical spindle mounted about the reservoir for dispensing along a given length the antifreeze liquid in the reservoir for splashing ice and snow from the toe of the rail for keeping the rail clear of such ice and snow.

The present invention is an improvemnt over my Patent No. 2,508,417 on an Oscillating Railway Switch, the present invention relating to a rolling pin switch and more particularly relating to means for the removal of debris, snow, ice, etc., which may hinder the proper operation of railway switches, and in which the railway switch is provided with a reservoir and openings in communication therewith through the walls of the reservoir portion so that a chemical anti-freeze solution contained therein may be dispensed and expelled due to the motion of the switch rail when moved into and out of its respective positions.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a splash type system for distributing the anti-freeze solution, but it is within the purview of the invention to use selected chemicals or liquids for keeping foreign matter off of the rail switches, such as ice, snow, and the like.

The invention consists of certain novel features of construction in combinations and arrangements as will hereinafter be described. The present invention contemplates providing a trunnion which will have a reservoir therein and mounted from a swivel mounting or axis pin, the reservoir being filled with a chemical anti-freeze solution or other selected liquid which will act as a splash system even under severe conditions of cold when the reservoir is tilted or operated, so that the holes which are drilled on the sides of the reservoir when tilted below the liquid level allow the liquid to splash out to wash snow, ice or other foreign matter from the toe of the rail. Thus the chemical or liquid dispensing mechanism maintains the cleanliness and operability of the oscillating railway switch under severe temperature conditions.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention wil become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the switch structure for the improved rolling pin railway switch, the switch being shown as normally closed and the pins shown in the manner in which they are disposed in a first position;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 but in which the rolling pin is displaced 90 about its rolling axis and in which the liquid therein is subject to being dispensed upon the rail web;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is view similar to FIGURE 4 but in which the switch roller pin is displaced approximately 90 in accordance with a practice of the invention, and in which the liquid is splashed from the reservoir during the period that the rolling pin is being displaced;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional 66 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a similar view of the rolling pin railway switch element showing the plug for allowing insertion of the liquid therein.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a standard track 10 with main line rails 12, 14 supported upon crossed ties 1-6, as is usual, and there is shown a curved or turned out portion 18, of a siding or side track. The arrows 24, 24 show the main line traffic.

In practicing the invention, there is a pair of switch rails 26, 28 of a given length and of a generally solid cylindrioal shape externally, but containing a reservoir 32, as shown in FIGURES 2-5 and 7, and supported at their ends by a pin or integral trunnion or axis pin 34, 34, as

view taken along lines well as trunnions or swivel pins 36, 36.

The switch bars normally lie parallel with the main line rails and depressed below the heads of the main line nails out of the way of the wheels of the rolling stock. Each switch rail is fashioned with a flat normally upper face 38, 38 or 38a, 38a, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, and longitudinally extending flanges or tongues 40, 42 of the respective nails.

At the far or outer end, each of the switch rails is fashioned with a preferably integral trunnion or axis pin 34, 34, and these trunions are swiveled in bearing brackets 46, 46 that are bolted to the webs of the respective main line rails and they project laterally toward the center of the track.

On the ends of the switch rails located at the entrance to the switch, they are equipped with trunnions or swivel pins 36, 36 journaled to turn in bearing bores that extend transversely through a cross beam 48 that extends across the track and is rigidly bolted at its ends to the inner faces of the Webs of the main line rails 12, 14 that are drilled for this purpose.

As is shown in my Patent No. 2,508,417, there are cylindrical bodies of the switch rails and their trunnions 36, 36 fashioned with cylindrical winding and unwinding spindles 56, 56, and a pair of springs 58, 58, coiled about a portion of the spindles. These spiral springs 58, 58 each has one end anchored to a spindle and its other end anchored to the cross beam 48 so that the switch rails on their longitudinal axes in the same and in opposite directions re-set and restore the switch to the closed position. Thus as the cylinders 26, 28 are rotated as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, respectively, when considering FIGURES 2 land 4, then it is seen that the liquid 70 which has been poured into the reservoir by removal of the plug 72 is adapted to dispense a given portion through an aperture 76 when the aperture is disposed by rotation below the liquid level 78.

The mounting pin 34 is shown in dotted line in each of FIGURES 2-5.

As shown in FIGURES 6 and 7, the apertures 76 may be provided along the length of the cylindrical body 28.

In FIGURES 4 and 5, there is shown an embodiment in which the container reservoir 32 dispenses the liquid 70 only while the aperture 76 is being displaced from that position shown in FIGURE 4 to that of FIGURE 5, so long as the aperture 76 is below the liquid level, and as long as the aperture 76 is also out of engagement with the stop member 82. Stop member 82 provides a closure to the opening or orifice 76, as shown in FIGURE 4. In this way, any snow, ice, or other foreign matter, is washed or otherwise eliminated by the anti-freeze solution or liquid 70 of whatever chemical nature, by its dispensing upon the web of the rail by washing or flowing thereover even under adverse temperature conditions.

Additional embodiments of the invention in this specification will occur to others and therefore it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodiments described hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A rolling pin railway switch element comprising a pair of laterally spaced track rails, a cross beam rigidly attached to the inner sides of the webs of the track rails, a pair of switch rails generally cylindrically shaped each having a spirally arranged longitudinal guide flange, end trunnions on the switch rails journaled in hearings on the cross beam, bearing brackets mounted on the track rails and end trunnions on the switch rails journaled in said brackets, each of said switch rails having .a cylindrical spindle, a spring coiled about each spindle having its ends anchored to a spindle and to said cross bar for turning the switch bars in opposite directions as desired, an endless chain having coils about said spindle, a slide bar mounted on the cross beam and forming a long link of the chain, and means for shifting the slide bar transversely of the track to open the switch, said cylindrical spindle having a reservoir disposed therein for dispensing along a given length thereof liquid for splashing ice and snow from the toe of the rail for keeping the rail clear.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a plug is provided for removal and allowing the filling of said reservoir of said cylindrical spindle, and wherein said liquid is a chemical anti-freeze to aid in the dispensing of snow and ice from the toe of the rail.

3. The invention according to claim 2 wherein a plurality of apertures are disposed along the length of said cylindrical spindle for a railway switch to provide a splash system for melting and washing away snow and ice which may have accumulated on such railway switch, said liquid capable of being maintained in liquid state during normal freezing environmental conditions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 260,550 7/1882 Elliott 246-428 X 2,508,417 5/1950 Orendorff 246-43-1 3,263,075 7/ 1966 Hill 246-428 ARTHUR A. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

S. B. GREEN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A ROLLING PIN RAILWAY SWITCH ELEMENT COMPRISING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED TRACK RAILS, A CROSS BEAM RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE INNER SIDES OF THE WEBS OF THE TRACK RAILS, A PAIR OF SWITCH RAILS GENERALLY CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED EACH HAVING A SPIRALLY ARRANGED LONGITUDINALLY GUIDE FLANGE, END TRUNNIONS ON THE SWITCH RAILS JOURNALED IN BEARINGS ON THE CROSS BEAM, BEARING BRACKETS MOUNTED ON THE TRACK RAILS AND END TRUNNIONS ON THE SWITCH RAILS JOURNALED IN SAID BRACKETS, EACH OF SAID SWITCH RAILS HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SPINDLE, A SPRING COILED ABOUT EACH SPINDLE HAVING ITS ENDS ANCHORED TO A SPINDLE AND TO SAID CROSS BAR FOR TURNING THE SWITCH BARS IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AS DESIRED, AN ENDLESS CHAIN HAVING COILS ABOUT SAID SPINDLE, A SLIDE BAR MOUNTED ON THE CROSS BEAM AND FORMING A LONG LINK OF THE CHAIN, AND MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE SLIDE BAR TRANSVERSELY OF THE TRACK TO OPEN THE SWITCH, SAID CYLINDRICAL SPINDLE HAVING A RESERVOIR DISPOSED THEREIN FOR DISPENSING ALONG A GIVEN LENGTH THEREOF LIQUID FOR SPLASHING ICE AND SNOW FROM THE TOE OF THE RAIL FOR KEEPING THE RAIL CLEAR. 